FERNLEY (Oct. 12) – The Fernley 95A Speedway ended its season with a two-day marathon at the annual shoot out. Over 100 racers were on hand and Sunday afternoon ended with the IMCA Modified feature that closed the track’s year.
Paul Stone heads for the checkered flag as he wins the IMCA main and puts a cap on Fernley 95A Speeddway’s season.
Duane Cleveland was the winner of the Late Model main on Sunday.
This was about as close as anyone got to Pro Stock winner Malen Gonzalez driving B.J. Pearson’s Nuclear Banana. Both Jay Sears (56) and Rob Grace (42) did their best but fell short.
Up until the final corner the race of the day was in the Hobby Stock class as Jake Baker (11B) and Carl Barlow spent most of the race this close. In the end Barlow won the event.
Rodney Sweet dominated the Dwarf Car main as the Lovelock driver ran away with the victory.
Try as he might Kyle Cheney (13) could not get past Dennis Crook (34), who went on to win the Super Stock 4 feature.
Once in the lead Danny Neron was uncatchable as he won the Pure Stock main.
The most unusual wreck on Sunday at the Two-Day Shoot was when the car of James Thibodeaux (2D) wound up on top of John Pierce’s car during an IMCA heat race.
And the California driver that won was actually using the race to shake down a new motor. A decision that turned out to be profitable as he collected the winner’s prize.
“We’re down here testing this crate for Vegas, so I think we picked the right track to do that,” Paul Stone said after post race tech. “It’s the first time we had a crate motor in this IMCA modified and I don’t know if I quite like it. We won the race with it but on the restarts it’s just absolutely horrible and at ever one we’d lose a spot but once we got it wound up it got rolling and things would work for us.”
When the green waved on the 24-car field Mark Wauge was on point but four laps later he was under challenge by Stone. Behind them Riley Simmons held third followed by the pack.
As the laps rolled by the top six gapped the field then the top four began to close up. Things slowed when the first caution came out but by then Wauge’s car was smoking.
On the restart Simmons used an inside move to take the lead while Wauge began to fall back. Another spin once again bunched the field and that was followed by a tangle on the restart.
During that caution Simmons’ time at the front ended as he pitted with a flat tire. Now Stone was on point with Robert Miller and Nick Trechard close behind.
It too took more attempts at restarting the race to get things rolling but Stone held the lead followed by Miller and Trenchard. They finished in that order with Ryan McDaniel coming home fourth and track champion Cory Sample, who had to start deep in the field ending up fifth.
Asked why he was running a crate motor Stone said, “We want that spoiler and a little weight break off the front of the car and that’s the only reason I have it for Vegas. Once we get done with that it’s going back in the trailer and I’m putting my motor back in.”
Then he gave special thanks to engine builder Kevin Stoea, Stone Motorsports, his parents and the crew guys, ‘if I didn’t have them working on this car we definitely wouldn’t be here.’
During the post race awards ceremony runner up Robert Miller said, “It was good and it felt good to be the only compression car with all this crate nation around. I honked the horn on them, not enough to upset him getting in and I got under Stone a couple of times. But I’ll take second rather than walk out on him and knock him around.”
Then Stone said, “That’s old time respect.”
Then Miller continued, “Before the race I told them I didn’t know if we were going to be in the top seven because of all the crates but it turned into being a fairly fast track and hard to pass I guess.”
He also gave special thanks to Bob Oliver, who owns Competition Cardburetion of Reno.
“He helped us out big time this weekend, changing stuff on the carburetor to help out,” Miller said. “I’d also like to thank Brian, Ron and Will Frickman from the racing team, including the pit crew, that made it possible for me to show up and jump in.”
Another class that usually doesn’t race in this area is the Late Models. When the green waved on this eight-car field Randy McDanile and Jeff Olschowka led the charge into Turn 1.
Exiting Turn 2 Olschowka was on point with Duane Cleveland and McDaniel giving chase. Then a caution slowed the pace due to a spin.
Once things were rolling again the top three began to gap the rest as they engaged in a three-way, nose-to-tail duel for the lead.
With three to go Cleveland made his move and got around both McDaniel and Olschowka. And they would finish in that order.
Cleveland’s finish couldn’t have come at a better time as charging out of the last corner to the checkered flag the right rear tire went flat. Fortunately he had such a big lead that no one was able to catch him.
“It was a good race, Jeff had the lead, Ryan was second and I was third. We ran most of the race that way but I think I just wanted to win more than they did,” Cleveland said after the race. “I knew it was a long race and I wanted to save my right rear tire until the last five laps to make sure I had it underneath me.”
Then he thanked sponsor Will Power and crewmembers Evan and Pako that worked very hard to get the car her. Cleveland added that sponsor and car owner Will Power also gives him what he needs to get the job done.
The Pro Stock class had the biggest field it probably ever has had with 18-cars taking the green. However the race itself belonged to one man, pole sitter Malen Gonzalez.
On the green he just took off then had to slow for the first of three rapid-fire cautions. Three more would also slow the pace but at every restart Gonzalez led Jay “Wingman” Sears, driving for Travis Petersen, and class champion Rob Grace.
Every time they tried to get Gonzalez at a restart it was to no avail as the B.J. Pearson Nuclear Banana car just shot away and left everyone in its dust. Sears and Grace did have a side-by-side, nose-to-tail duel for second.
In the end Gonzalez reached the checkered flag first with Grace right behind him. Following them was Cortney Dozier, Brian Johnson and Dean Cichowicz.
After the dust settled Gonzalez said, “They were really close and all I as doing was driving as hard as I could so I was in the lead unless somebody got past me. It’s never over until that checkered flag goes and you get the money in your hand. A car could take you out, you could get a flat tire and all the stuff that can happen so I never count on any win until I’m leaving the track.”
Then he thanked the speedway for offering a nice place to race. And he gave special thanks to his car owner B.J. Pearson, ‘if it wasn’t for him I’d be watching out of the stands.’
He was also indebted to Rels Racing as after blowing up two motors at the start of the season they loaned them the motor they’ve been winning with. And Gonzalez mentioned Bob Oliver from Competition Carburetion for always being at the track, helping and keeping the car running at its best.
All season the Hobby Stock division has been plagued by low car counts, but not on this weekend. When Sunday’s main began 15 cars charged down the front straight led by Jake Baker and class champion Carl “Fireball” Barlow.
The first caution came after one car bounced off the backstretch wall and the second after the car of Max McAfree lost a front wheel. Things slowed again when two cars tangled and at the same time Sun Valley driver Rick Miller had to pit for a flat tire.
Up front the race was between Baker and Barlow as they ran nose-to-tail and sometimes almost side-by-side at the restarts. However closing in was car 23 (No name was listed in the results.) and he caught them before the last caution bunched the cars.
With two go to the green waved and Baker took off with #23 on his outside and Barlow inside. Tearing through the final corner there was contact that slowed Barlow, send Baker sliding across the finish line and put 23 into the front stretch wall where he slid past the checkered flag.
The flagman felt the move was uncalled for so that driver was disqualified giving the win to Barlow, putting Richard Longacre into second and Baker third.
“The 23 car just drove through both of us and took Jake out, “Barlow said later. “The race was good, Jacob was very fast, he did a good job tonight so the only thing I can do is to try and out driver him as he had a little bit more power than I had.”
And if everything goes to plan, this will be Barlow’s final Hobby Stock race and he’s putting the car in his backyard. Next year he plans on getting an IMCA license and will be available if anyone needs him to drive a modified.
Then Baker said, “It should have been a win but we allowed a pro stock to come and run in our class and he decided to take me out on last lap coming down the front stretch. He bounced me around and we went sideways across the finish line but he got disqualified and we ended up finishing third for the race and second for the whole night.”
The Dwarf Car main belonged to Rodney Sweet as the Lovelock driver led from green to checkered. Only one caution, with five to go slowed the pace but when the green waved Sweet just flat left everyone in his dust.
Camden Robustelli was second ahead of Josh King, Sam Marson and Reece Wilson.
When the Super Stock 4 main began Dennis Crook took off with Kyle Cheney in hot pursuit. And they soon left the rest of the nine-car field in their dust.
Everyone bunched up after Danielle Paine spun and caused the only caution. Later she did an encore but quickly recovered and there was no caution.
Up front it was all Crook as he scored the victory followed by Cheney and Shaun Merritt.
“It was a great weekend and I finally got the car running right,” Crook said later. “Iwas hooked up and the car was abour as good as it could get. Thos California cars were fast bu I had the right set up tonight.”
Joe Wood briefly led the Pure Stock main until he spun out handing the point to Bryan Kaster. Then Michael Nichols was hit and spun, which brought out a caution.
On the restart Danny Neron grabbed the lead and left everyone in his dust. Behind him Rich Innis held down second while Kaster, Mark Serchio Jr. and Jim Paulk were engaged in a three-way fight for third.
In the end Neron scored the victory followed by Innis, Paulk and Kaster.
Now the speedway is dark until spring comes and once again the air will be filled with the sound of engines as drivers test and tune for the 2015 season. And the new Nevada Pro Stock Association will also be in the mix.
• Saturday was when Late Models, Pro Stocks and IMCA Modifieds ran two sets of heat races. Hobby Stocks, Super Stock 4, Pure Stocks and Dwarfs ran heat and main events. Those results are on the Fernley 95A Speedway website.
RESULTS
Fernley 95A Speedway – Sunday, Oct 12
IMCA:
B Main 1 – 1. Monte Bischoff*, 2. Alex Stanford*, 3. Kellen Chadwick*, 4. Russell Rosario*, 5. Zach Fettinger*, 6. Shawn LaRoaque*, 7. Steve McKellip, 8. Royce Goetz, 9. Chris Nieman, 10. Jim Turner, 11. Keith Walsh, 12. Chester Kniss, 13. Steve Walker, 14. Robert Mull, 15. Paul Stephens
B Main 2 – 1. Cory Sample*, 2. Collen Winnbarger, 3. Joel Myers*, 4. Jeff Chew*, 5. Walter Ball*, 6. Larry McCracken*, 7. Tom Canniff, 8. Unlisted, 9. Byron Thibodeaux, 10. Paris Archie, 11. Unlisted, 12. Mark Skender, 13. Fred White, 14. Missy Natenstedt, 15. Wade DeBurg
*- Transferred into the A Main
Main (30-Laps) – 1. Paul Stone, 2. Robert Miller, 3. Nick Trenchard, 4. Ryan McDaniel, 5. Cory Sample, 6. Alex Stanford, 7. Shawn Natenstedt, 8. Collen Winnbarger, 9. Mike White, 10. Mark Wauge, 11. Monte Bischoff, 12, Travis White, 13. Matt Murphy, 14. Larry McCracken, 15. Russell Rosario, 16. Jeff Chew, 17. Kellen Chadwick, 18. Walter Ball, 19. Joel Myers, 20. Tom Berry, 21. Riley Simmons, 22. Jeremy Shank, 23. Zach Fettiger, 24. Shawn LaRoaque
Late Models:
Main – 1. Duane Cleveland, 2. Ryan McDaniel, 3. Jeff Olschowka, 4.Dominic Stone, 5. Randy McDaniel, 6. Dan Brown Jr., 7. Will McMillen, 8. George Magenheimer
Pro Stocks:
Main – 1. Malen Gonzalez, 2. Jay Sears, 3. Rob Grace, 4. Cortney Dozier, 5. Brian Johnson, 6. Dean Cichowicz, 7.Al Goss, 8. Gary Nevers, 9. David Rauscher, 10. Scott Flowers, 11. Mike Nuss, 12. James Gonzalez, 13. Jack Bowers, 14. Jerry Bartlett, 15. Russ Cazier, 16. Conner Tatum, 17. John Bowers, 18. Garrett Agnew
Hobby Stocks:
Heat Winners – #1 Carl Barlow, #2 Jake Baker
Main – 1. Carl Barlow, 2. Richard Longacre, 3. Jake Baker, 4. Ed Goss, 5. Tom Haxall, 6. Joe Blackwell, 7. Max McAfee, 8. Randy Boyd, 9. Unlisted, 10. Duane Kramer, 11.David Pierce, 12. Zach Smotherman, 13. Jimmy Berhorst, 14. Unlisted, 15. Dan Edgington
Dwarf Cars:
Heat Winners – #1 Rodney Sweet, #2 Fred Hay
Main – 1. Rodney Sweet, 2. Camden Robustelli, 3. Josh King, 4. Sam Marson, 5. Reece Wilson, 6. Kinser Endicott, 7. Brock Peters, 8. Bobby Wilson, 9. Charlie Correia, 10. Glen Sciarani, 11. Fred Hay, 12. Reggie Ayres, 13. Danny Wagner, 14. Nick Winters, 15. Scott Dorie
Super Stock 4:
Heat Winner – #1 Dennis Crook, #2 Kyle Cheney
Main – 1. Dennis Crook, 2. Shaun Merritt, 3. Unlisted, 4. Kyle Cheney, 5. Kenny Martin
Pure Stocks:
Heat Winners – #1 Danny Neron, #2 Lee Ketten Jr.
Main – 1. Danny Neron, 2. Rich Innis, , 3. Jim Paulk, 4. Bryan Kaster, 5. Joe Wood
